Saiccor - The First 50 Years 5.8 MB - Sappi

The Campbell Period (1986–1987)
business and a greater interest ‘in our widespread activities’� It was
then time to ‘improve and expand the technical development
resources�’
Don Campbell retired at the end of 1986� Don’s position of Financial
Manager was taken over by Richard (‘Scotch’) Duncan-Anderson,
who was hired as Financial Director, while Jack Ardé was hired as
Company Secretary�
Scotch was educated in Zimbabwe, where he trained as an
accountant before working as an audit manager in Europe for nine
years� Returning to South Africa, he spent six years in charge of an
audit group at Anglo American Corporation before joining Saiccor
on 1 October 1986� He was a keen and competitive sportsman� He
had a strong desire to expand the role of the finance department�
Scotch clashed with Hector Mackenzie (Managing Director from
1987) and left Saiccor in April 1989�
Jacques (Jack) Ardé was born in Umzinto and is a Natalian through
and through� He worked as a financial controller for Sterling Drug
and SA Warehousing, and then as Company Secretary for Carnation
before joining Saiccor in September 1986� Affable and easy going,
with an interest in art and travel, Jack remained Company Secretary
until he retired in April 1993�
John Hinck, an American chemist, was hired by Campbell as
Product Development Manager on 1 December 1986� John had worked
in research, production, and sales first at Rayonier and then at Western
Pulp, where he had dealings with Campbell when Campbell was
buying pulp for Courtaulds Acetate� On 1 April 1987 he was appointed
to the newly defined role of Technical Manager� His brief from
Campbell was to develop new grades of pulp to provide a wider
market for Saiccor’s output� John, a music lover and science
enthusiast, also clashed with Hector Mackenzie and he left in October
1988�
Trevor Larkan joined Saiccor on 1 January 1986 to head up a new
treasury operation� Trevor was an accountant educated at Natal
University, from where he also had an Honours degree in Financial
Management� He worked for six years at Unicorn Lines and Jet
International Travel before joining Saiccor� He was appointed Financial
Controller and a member of the Management Committee from 1
April 1987, then Financial Manager in May 1989� Trevor was
appointed to the Saiccor Board on 1 January 1992 and at the end of
1992 was appointed Financial Director of Sappi South Africa� He then
transferred to the United States, ultimately becoming Financial
Director of Sappi Fine Papers� He left Sappi quite suddenly in October
2001� Trevor was a fine accountant with a sound understanding of
how a business functioned�
In the middle of 1986 John Earnshaw announced that he would be
leaving Saiccor at the end of 1986 (although he officially retired on
121
Jacques ‘Jack’ Ardré
John Hinck
Trevor Larkan